Photo: Richard Mortel / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
Sakya
Sakya - The Pale Earth
Sakya is a small town in Tsang, south west of Shigatse, and the home of the Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism. In the 13th century the Sakya lamas ruled Tibet under the patronage of the Mongol rulers.
The great Sakya Monastery, with its high grey walls, is the town’s main attraction. The grey-and-white colouring of the walls and the red stripes, symbolising the three bodhisattvas, are distinctive.
It is usually visited on a detour from the Friendship Highway.
Near Sakya
More to see around Tsang.
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Sight
Everest North Area (Rongphu Face)
The north face of Everest and the Rongphu Glacier, reached by road from Tingri to Rongphu and Base Camp.
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Sight
Gyantse
Gyantse (3,950m) in the Nyang Chu valley, 254km south-west of Lhasa, is one of the least Chinese influenced towns in Tibet and is worth a visit for this reason alone.
